Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution
Govt. plans to increase distribution of Millets under public distribution scheme
Govt. undertaking special efforts for popularizing millets; Millets Awareness Programme being conducted and millets being promoted during India’s G20 Presidency
The Government has planned to increase distribution of Millets under public distribution scheme which is as under:
 Advance planning for achieving higher procurement targets of coarse grains with major contribution of Bajra and Ragi.
 State to include millet for distribution under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana  in lieu of wheat/rice.
 Procuring States are advised to convey the surplus quantity well in advance. Deficit States are advised to convey their requirement of coarse grains/millets well in advance.
(iv States are requested to encourage the diversification of crops by enhancing the production of more coarse grains/millets
 To improve the level of nutrition among the beneficiaries covered under NFSA, all the States/ UTs have been requested to procure millets and distribute for NFSA beneficiaries as per local consumption preference and as per the guidelines issued by this Department from time to time.
Government of India has made special efforts for popularizing millets. Department of Food & Public Distribution and field offices i.e. Food Corporation India  and Central Warehousing Corporation  have conducted awareness about the millets through organizing Millets Awareness Programme/Competition/Seminars etc.
Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare  is promoting millets during India’s G20 presidency. Millets are also showcased in various events such as International Trade Fair, Surajkund Mela, etc. A key event organized towards International Year of Millets was the Global Millets  Conference, held from 18th -19th March 2023 at IARI Pusa campus, New Delhi. In continuation to the efforts towards mainstreaming millets, a ‘Millets Experience Centre ’ has been opened in Dilli Haat, INA, New Delhi with an aim to raise awareness on Millets and encouraging its adoption among general public. In order to encourage consumption of millets snacks in Departmental trainings/ meetings and millet based food items in Departmental canteens. DA&FW has also installed vending machines for millet products through National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India  to various Ministries/ Departments. Millet and its product have been identified as One District One Product  in 19 Districts of 10 States.
The Indian Council of Agriculture Research- Indian Institute of Millet Research , Hyderabad is also regularly conducting workshop on millets recipe/ millet sweets like kheer and cookies/ cooking with millets for all sector of people including chefs. IIMR through its nutri hub is conducting relevant entrepreneurial programme like nutri-cereals entrepreneurship and startup training programme . ICAR/IIMR Hyderabad has developed various ready to eat and ready to cook millet based foods. “Eatrite” branding of millet foods have been successfully built through campaigning, popularization and awareness programmes.
This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Ms. Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti in a written reply today in the Lok Sabha.